Cleveland Indians (10-7 Michael Brantley Jersey , first in the AL Central) vs. Seattle Mariners (13-7, second in the AL West)Seattle; Wednesday, 6 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Indians: Carlos Carrasco (1-2, 12.60 ERA, 2.50 WHIP, 17 strikeouts) Mariners: Erik Swanson (1-0, 9.00 ERA, 2.50 WHIP, 4 strikeouts)LINE: Indians favored by 1 1/2 runs; over/under is 8 runsBOTTOM LINE: Seattle enters the matchup as losers of their last five games.The Mariners are 5-6 in home games. Seattle has slugged .515, the highest in the American League. Daniel Vogelbach leads the club with a .878 slugging percentage, including 10 extra-base hits and six home runs.The Indians are 5-6 on the road. Cleveland has slugged .326 this season. Carlos Santana leads the club with a .537 slugging percentage, including six extra-base hits. The Indians won the last meeting 4-2. Shane Bieber earned his second victory and Jason Kipnis went 2-for-4 with a double for Cleveland. Mike Leake took his first loss for Seattle.TOP PERFORMERS: Domingo Santana leads the Mariners with 28 hits and is batting .341. Edwin Encarnacion is 12-for-40 with a double, four home runs and 13 RBIs over the last 10 games for Seattle.Santana leads the Indians with 11 RBIs and is batting .389. Leonys Martin is 12-for-39 with two doubles http://www.indiansfanproshop.com/authentic-b.j.-upton-jersey , three home runs and five RBIs over the last 10 games for Cleveland.LAST 10 GAMES: Mariners: 5-5, .267 batting average, 4.75 ERA, outscored opponents by nine runsIndians: 6-4, .231 batting average, 3.45 ERA, outscored opponents by seven runsMariners Injuries: Sam Tuivailala: 10-day IL (achilles), Hunter Strickland: 60-day IL (lat), Wade LeBlanc: 10-day IL (right oblique strain), Chasen Bradford: 10-day IL (shoulder), Gerson Bautista: 10-day IL (pectoral), Kyle Seager: 60-day IL (hand).Indians Injuries: Danny Salazar: 60-day IL (shoulder), Mike Clevinger: 60-day IL (back) Kenny Lofton Jersey , Bradley Zimmer: 10-day IL (shoulder), Francisco Lindor: 10-day IL (ankle/calf). Despite matching a season high with 16 hits, the Marlins couldn’t fully take advantage of their opportunities."WhiteFanposts Sections News & RumorsAnalysisPodcastsProspects & DraftGame CoverageFull ArchiveMasthead Social Marlins Players on TwitterFish Stripes on InstagramMarlins Media Members Fish Stripes Best of 2018 Marlins StoriesScheduleRosterStatsCommunity Guidelines StubHub 鉁昅iami Marlins Game CoverageMets pile on Marlins early, hold on for 6-5 winNew,9commentsDespite matching a season high with 16 hits, the Marlins couldn’t fully take advantage of their opportunities.EDTShareTweetShareShareMets pile on Marlins early, hold on for 6-5 winSteve Mitchell-USA TODAY SportsOn Opening Day, an ugly fourth inning was the difference for the Marlins’ Jos茅Ure帽a versus the Colorado Rockies. Tuesday night was a similar story. The Mets hammered Ure帽a, crossing home plate five times in the first inning, en-route to a 6-5 victory at Marlins Park. JasonVargas was New York’s starter. (Vargas was originally drafted by the then-Florida Marlins in 2004, a second-round selection.) He was effective though somewhat fortunate considering all the hard contact against him, tossing five innings, allowing two runs on eight hits http://www.indiansfanproshop.com/authentic-b.j.-upton-jersey , striking out Peter O’Brien twice. On the flip side, Ure帽a was seeking his first victory of 2019, after falling 6-3 this past Thursday afternoon. New York’s first six out of seven hitters reached base off Ure帽a in the opening frame, as Ure帽a’s pitch count reached 40 after three outs.The inning may have ended much sooner if not for the Marlins’ fondness for shifting:Your browser does not support HTML5 video.Miami had to play catch-up, which is always difficult to do at the highest level of professional baseball. After trailing 5-0, the Fish got on the board thanks to Brian Anderson’s RBI double, scoring Curtis Granderson. Don Mattingly pulled Ure帽a after just four innings of work, which resulted in a Tyler Kinley sighting. Kinley walked two batters in his only inning of relief. Wei-Yin Chen, after pitching to two batters Sunday, worked two innings, allowing one run via a hit by pitch. Trailing 6-2, the Marlins drew even closer in large part due to back-to-back RBI singles from LewisBrinson and Peter O’Brien, who managed to snap an 0-for-10 slump. In the eighth http://www.indiansfanproshop.com/authentic-b.j.-upton-jersey , Miami moved one run closer. JT Riddle’s RBI groundout scored Granderson. In the ninth, Miguel Rojas came up with two runners on base, but lined into a game-ending, double play. The Marlins offense produced tonight, as StarlinCastro belted a home run for the second consecutive night, and Lewis Brinson closed with three hits. However, they went just 4-for-18 with runners in scoring position (.222 BA).The Mets will look for a series sweep Wednesday night, sending the 2018 NL Cy Young winner JacobdeGrom to the mound. Righty TrevorRichards will make his second appearance of 2019. Last Friday versus the Rockies, Richards worked six brilliant innings of one-run baseball, ultimately before Miami lost the contest, 6-1. First pitch will be approximately 6:10 p.m. Mets vs. Marlins box score (MLB.com)Fish Picks answer keyVargasOverOverYesMets

The Candidates:Erik Gonzalez Whitey Herzog Jersey , Kevin Newman, Cole TuckerThe departure of veteran Jordy Mercer has left a void at shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates.Pittsburgh acquired Erik Gonzalez from the Cleveland Indians on Nov. 14. He posted 0.6 WAR over 81 games in a utility role last season.The 27-year-old hit .296/.329/.450 with 31 doubles, 11 home runs and 12 steals in Triple-A during his last full season in the minors in 2016, so he does have some offensive potential.He's just 1-for-14 with six strikeouts so far this spring.Gonzalez will need to hold off prospect Kevin Newman, who hit .302/.350/.407 with 36 extra-base hits and 28 steals in 109 games in Triple-A last year.The 25-year-old is 3-for-11 with one double and four strikeouts.With that, the door could be swinging open for fellow prospect Cole Tucker, who has gone 3-for-11 with a double this spring. He's yet to play above Double-A but could be an option by midseason if no one else seizes the job.Early Winners:Cole TuckerEarly Losers:Erik Gonzalez, Kevin NewmanSan Francisco Giants: Outfield8 of 9Gerardo ParraJamie Schwaberow/Getty ImagesThe Candidates:Steven Duggar, Drew Ferguson, Chris Shaw, Austin Slater, Mac Williamson, Mike Gerber, Cameron Maybin, Gerardo ParraThe San Francisco Giants cast a wide net this offseason in their search for outfield help.Veterans Gerardo Parra and Cameron Maybin both signed minor league deals, jumping at the chance to sign on where they have a clear path to winning regular playing time.Parra is off to a nice start at 4-for-13 with one double and one home run. On the other hand, Maybin has gone just 2-for-19 with six strikeouts.Former Detroit Tigers prospect Mike Gerber was an under-the-radar waiver claim in December, and he's gone 5-for-9 with one double and three runs scored. His ability to play center field makes him a dark horse to win a spot.Slugger Chris Shaw (5-for-17, 2B http://www.stlouiscardinalsteamshop.com/authentic-marcell-ozuna-jersey , 2 HR) will get a long look in left field, Mac Williamson (4-for-16, 2B, HR) is the top 40-man roster option in right field, and Steven Duggar (0-for-3, 2 BB) showed enough in center field last year to warrant a longer look.Rule 5 pick Drew Ferguson (1-for-14) and Austin Slater (3-for-14, 5 K) appear to be facing uphill battles.Early Winners:Chris Shaw, Gerardo ParraEarly Losers:Drew Ferguson, Cameron Maybin, Austin SlaterWashington Nationals: No. 5 Starter9 of 9Jeremy HellicksonJonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesThe Candidates:Erick Fedde, Jeremy Hellickson, Joe Ross, Henderson AlvarezThe Washington Nationals brought back Jeremy Hellickson on Feb. 6 on a one-year, $1.3 million deal that could earn him another $4 million worth of incentives.The 31-year-old went 5-3 with a 3.45 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in 91.1 innings over 19 starts last season, and he's allowed just three hits and one earned run with seven strikeouts in five innings this spring.A healthy Joe Ross is his biggest competition for the job after he spent the bulk of 2018 recovering from Tommy John surgery.Ross has looked sharp so far, allowing six hits and one earned run in 5.2 innings, but with one minor league option remaining, he could be sent to Triple-A to further shake off the rust.Former top prospect Erick Fedde (5.1 IP, 12 H Orlando Cepeda Jersey , 7 ER) and non-roster invitee Henderson Alvarez (4.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER) are also in the mix.Early Winners:Jeremy Hellickson, Joe RossEarly Losers:Erick FeddeAll stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted. The Los Angeles Angels, St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Nationals appeared to accept that this isn't their year."Bryce [Harper] is not going anywhere. I believe in this team," Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo told Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post.Rizzo apparently didn't believe in it to the point of making additions to the roster, though, and he even traded reliever Brandon Kintzler to a fellow National League contender in the Cubs.The Cardinals turned Tommy Pham into prospects in a trade with the Rays, opening a spot for Tyler O'Neill on the big league roster. They also sent off Luke Voit and Sam Tuivailala in small-scale moves while failing to add anyone of short-term significance.And it looks like the Angels will squander another year of Mike Trout.They traded catcher Martin Maldonado and second baseman Ian Kinsler, both impending free agents, but made no notable additions.The San Francisco Giants also seem to be cooked.They didn't get rid of any veteran pieces, but they also didn't add anyone to a team that is .500 and may have just lost Johnny Cueto to Tommy John surgery. MVPs of the WeekHitter: Jonathan Schoop, Baltimore OriolesStats: 11-for-29, 1 2B, 5 HR, 13 RBI, 6 RAfter struggling to a .197/.242/.345 line with just eight home runs and 21 RBI over the first three-plus months of the season, Schoop has caught fire.He's hitting .360/.356/.700 with nine home runs and 19 RBI in July鈥攅nough to make him a hot commodity at the trade deadline, with the Brewers getting a deal done.Always a promising offensive player Keith Hernandez Jersey , Schoop exploded for a 122 OPS+ with 32 home runs and 105 RBI last season en route to 5.2 WAR and a 12th-place finish in AL MVP voting.Second basemen have provided a brutal .242/.297/.362 line for the Brewers this year, so Schoop will be a welcome addition as they look to secure a postseason spot. Pitcher: Masahiro Tanaka, New York YankeesStats: 1 GS, W, 9.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 9 KWhile the Yankees were proactive in addressing their starting rotation with the additions of J.A. Happ and Lance Lynn, a strong finish to the season by Masahiro Tanaka would go a long way.The 29-year-old twirled his third career shutout last Monday against the Rays, and he's pitched to a 2.29 ERA in three starts since returning from the hamstring injuries that cost him roughly a month.All told, he's 8-2 with a 4.09 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 92 strikeouts in 92.1 innings.Looking ahead, Tanaka showed in October how much of an impact he can make when he's on top of his game, posting a 0.90 ERA over 20 innings in three postseason starts.A similar run this year could push the Yankees over the top. Video Highlights of the WeekLongest Home Run: Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies (454 feet)Nolan Arenado has hit an NL-leading 28 home runs, including three in his last four games and eight in July.His 26th blast came Friday in the form of this towering 454-foot shot off Athletics lefty Sean Manaea.While that was the longest home run of the season for Arenado, it checked in as just the seventh-longest by Rockies hitters.In fact, Carlos Gonzalez (473 feet http://www.stlouiscardinalsteamshop.com/authentic-marcell-ozuna-jersey , 461, 455), Ian Desmond (472, 459) and Trevor Story (464, 459) have multiple homers that have gone farther.The Rockies rank eighth in the majors and second in the NL with 136 home runs. Best Defensive Play: Jackie Bradley Jr., Boston Red SoxJackie Bradley Jr. is having a rough season offensively, hitting just .213 with a 76 OPS+ and 28 extra-base hits in 357 plate appearances.He remains, however, a human highlight reel in center field.The 28-year-old has been featured in our "best defensive play" section before, and he was at it again with this tremendous catch in the left-center field gap on what looked like a sure double.Bradley's 9.1 UZR/150 is the fourth-best mark among qualified center fielders and speaks to his elite instincts and tremendous range.The Red Sox are the highest-scoring team in baseball with 5.3 runs per game, so they can afford to sacrifice some offense for an elite glove at a premium position. Must-See Upcoming MatchupHouston Astros vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (Friday-Sunday)Justin VerlanderRob Leiter/Getty ImagesNothing like a World Series rematch to gauge where two contenders are heading into the final two months of the season.Last time the Astros and Dodgers squared off, it was Game 7 of another thrilling Fall Classic, and both teams have title aspirations again this year.The Astros rotation is lined up perfectly for this series, with Justin Verlander, Lance McCullers Jr. and Gerrit Cole slated to throw.The Dodgers will counter with Alex Wood, Kenta Maeda and Walker Buehler. Ace Clayton Kershaw will make his next start Thursday against the Brewers.This series won't have a huge impact on the standings, but it will be an excellent barometer, and it should provide fans with a postseason atmosphere. All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.

LOS ANGELES — The Zack Wheeler Express does not look like it is about to slow down any time soon http://www.oriolesfanproshop.com/authentic-j.j.-hardy-jersey , even if his last outing ended with a hard-luck loss.It should have been enough when Wheeler gave up one run in a loss at San Francisco on Friday. He will return to the mound Wednesday in the finale of a three-game series against Los Angeles at Dodger Stadium.The right-hander’s August numbers included a 1.13 ERA and he somehow had a loss and no-decision among his six starts, although it should not come as a surprise on a Mets team where Jacob deGrom appears to the National League Cy Young Award favorite with a 9-8 record.Article continues below ...The only reason Wheeler (9-6, 3.37 ERA) is not celebrating an August Pitcher of the Month award in the NL is because new Chicago Cubs lefty Cole Hamels had a 0.69 ERA in his six starts. The Dodgers know that runs will be at a premium, although Wheeler is 0-2 with an 11.00 ERA in two starts against them.“That’s the plan every time; it’s just been happening,” Wheeler said, according to mlb.com. “I’ve been able to go out there and really get it done. I’m happy about it and I’m going in the right direction.”Dodgers left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu (4-1, 2.24 ERA) has not been as good as Wheeler of late, but the Dodgers are hardly complaining. Since coming off the disabled list Aug. 15 after spending 3 1/2 months on the shelf with a left groin strain, Ryu is 1-1 with a 2.42 ERA over 22 2/3 innings. He is also 3-0 with a 1.69 ERA in five starts versus the Mets.When Ross Stripling and Kenta Maeda were moved to the bullpen upon Ryu’s return, it raised eyebrows. But Ryu has justified the move by contributing during a division title chase in what is the final year of his original six-year contract with the Dodgers.What Ryu showed in his last outing, an eventual victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks, is that he is tough to rattle. He gave up a first-inning home run to Paul Goldschmidt, but kept his team in the game and the Dodgers eventually rallied for a key victory.Enrique Hernandez and Justin Turner rallied the Dodgers with late home runs, but Ryu helped set the stage.“All we’ve got to do is focus on this month,” Kenley Jansen said, according to the Los Angeles Times, after recording the save in the game Ryu started. “Let this month motivate me, motivate us Adam Jones Jersey , and for us, it’s just about going out and trying to win the division.”Turner was named August Player of the Month in the NL after hitting .402 with six home runs, 20 RBIs, 22 runs, 11 doubles and a 1.213 OPS. Manny Machado, who had two hits in each of the first two games of the series against the Mets, closed out August with seven home runs in 13 games.The Dodgers had been finding it tough to score runs before breaking out for 11 on Tuesday. They entered Tuesday’s game with 2.33 runs scored in their previous six contests and have to figure out how to produce for a second consecutive night against Wheeler during a 4:30 p.m. local start when the shadows created by the setting sun could create visibility issues.Los Angeles is one-half game behind Colorado in the NL West. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jonathan Lucroy and Mike Fiers have adjusted quickly to being battery mates again, to the benefit of Oakland’s playoff hopes.Lucroy homered and drove in four runs, Fiers pitched effectively into the sixth inning, and Oakland beat the Minnesota Twins 6-2 on Saturday night, maintaining the Athletics‘ hold on the second wild-card spot.Lucroy, who caught Fiers in Milwaukee many times over almost five seasons, had an RBI single in the first and a three-run homer in the fourth as the Athletics kept at least a four-game lead over Seattle in the wild-card chase. The Mariners were playing at Arizona on Saturday night. Oakland entered 1 1/2 games behind front-running Houston in the American League West.Fiers (10-6) allowed one run and five hits in 5 2/3 innings, striking out seven and walking two to improve to 3-0 in four starts since being acquired from Detroit on Aug. 6.“He threw really well,” Lucroy said. “He just mixed pretty much the whole game. We didn’t really have a specific game plan. Really, it wasn’t about just throwing strikes, it was working ahead and mixing. He did well and gave us a chance to win.”Stephen Gonsalves (0-2) gave up four runs and seven hits, walking four and striking out two in his second career start.“I was looking forward to keep going and build up from the first start Manny Machado Jersey , and I think we did that,” Gonsalves said. “We got through five, and my change up was there for the most part. Unfortunately most of my other pitches weren’t there, but I think we did well. One pitch – kind of cut that changeup into Lucroy, and we knew he swinging 0-0, and I just missed my spot.”Lucroy put Oakland up 4-0 with his third homer. With one out, Chad Pinder and Mark Canha singled, but Pinder was thrown out at third on a perfect strike from right-fielder Jake Cave. Ramon Laureano walked and Lucroy sent the first pitch over the wall in left-center.“I’ve seen him be an All-Star and hit .300,” Fiers said of Lucroy. “Baseball is a tough game. It’s tough to do that on a yearly basis, but he’s still one of the best catchers in this league. Just the way he handles the pitching staff and he still comes up with these big hits. He came up with a big one today.”Miguel Sano countered in the bottom half with his 12th homer, a 460-foot solo shot into the upper deck in left.Tyler Austin’s 12th home run off Lou Trivino with one out in the seventh pulled the Twins to 4-2.Oakland pushed the lead to 6-2 in the eighth on consecutive two-out RBI doubles by Matt Olson and Laureano.“We kept fighting, we couldn’t figure out Fiers particularly well except for Miggy getting ahold of one, which was good to see,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. “It’s just one of those teams right now the way they’re playing, the way they’re pitching, it’s a tough team to come back against.”The Athletics took a 1-0 lead in the second when Pinder singled, Laureano walked and Lucroy lined a two-out single to left.Oakland manager Bob Melvin likes what he’s seen so far from Fiers.“Maybe he battled his command a little bit today, but finds a way to make a pitch when he has to Chris Davis Jersey ,” Melvin said. “He’s been a terrific pick-up for us in the fact that every time he goes out there, not only do we have a great chance to win, the guys feel like we have a great chance to win, too. He’s fit in really well.”THOME HONOREDJim Thome, inducted into the Hall of Fame this year, was recognized at a pregame ceremony. Thome played almost two full seasons with the Twins in 2010 and 2011, hitting his 600th home run with Minnesota. He hit 25 home runs in 2010 to help the Twins to the Central Division title.TRAINER’S ROOMTwins: RHP Michael Pineda (recovering Tommy John surgery) had his Monday rehab start with Triple-A Rochester canceled due to irritation in his right knee, manager Paul Molitor said. Pineda is scheduled to return to Minnesota for an MRI.UP NEXTAthletics: RHP Chris Bassitt (2-3, 3.38) will be called up from Nashville to start the series finale Sunday. Bassitt has been up five times previously, making six starts. He won his last start with Oakland on July 11, allowing three runs on five hits in five innings.Twins: RHP Jose Berrios (11-8, 3.69) is making 27th start of the season, but first career start against Oakland. Berrios is 1-0 with a 4.58 ERA in four August starts, but has not lasted past the fifth inning in his previous three starts.

BOSTON (AP) — World Series MVP Steve Pearce says it was a “no-brainer” to return to the Red Sox for another year.“This was the place that I wanted to be http://www.athleticsfanproshop.com/authentic-khris-davis-jersey ,” he said on a conference call Monday, three days after agreeing to a $6.5 million, one-year deal with the defending champions. “The chemistry we had on and off the field, wanting to defend a title, that’s a big deal.”A 35-year-old journeyman who has played for seven teams — including the entire AL East — in a 12-year career, Pearce arrived in Boston at the end of June and spent most of this time with the Red Sox platooning at first base with Mitch Moreland.Pearce batted .279 in 50 games for Boston in the regular season, hitting seven homers — five of them against the New York Yankees, including three on Aug. 2. In five World Series games against the Los Angeles Dodgers, he batted .333 with three homers, two of them in the Game 5 clincher Dave Henderson Jersey , to earn MVP honors.“The team I was on, everything that was done there, bringing everybody back, it was a no-brainer for me,” Pearce said. “We just played different. It was great chemistry on this team, it’s where I wanted to play.”Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said he is glad to have Pearce and Moreland back for another year. Moreland is also scheduled to make $6.5 million next season, when he will turn 34.“We like where we are with Mitch and Steve at first base,” Dombrowski said when asked if the team considered a multiyear deal for Pearce. “We really felt for us, where we are as an organization, where they are in their careers Dennis Eckersley Jersey , we really did want to hold it to one year.”Also Monday, Dombrowski said that second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who missed all but three games last season with knee injury, is not expected to need surgery. The 2008 AL MVP will rehab through the middle of December and start running in January.“We’re hopeful he’ll be ready for the season,” Dombrowski said, adding that the plan meant the team probably would not have room for Ian Kinsler to return. “With that prognosis, we’re really as far as positional players pretty well set.” NEW YORK (AP) — New York Yankees outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury is out for the season after surgery on his left hip.The Yankees said Tuesday that Ellsbury had arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn labrum the previous day. The expected recovery time is about six months.The 34-year-old Ellsbury has been out all season with a number of injuries, including an oblique strain and sore back. The Yankees put him on the 60-day disabled list in May.“They were trying to exhaust every other way to try and get him back and get him right, but finally they decided surgery was the way to go,” manager Aaron Boone said before the Yankees played the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night.“Hopefully Santiago Casilla Jersey , this is something that gets him right. He can start back on the mend. From what I understand, the six months will put him in line for spring training,” he said.In 112 games last season, Ellsbury hit .264 with 39 RBIs and seven home runs. Signed by the Yankees after helping Boston win the 2013 World Series, Ellsbury is under contract with New York through 2020.“Ultimately, I think it points back to the hip,” Boone said. “Now that the surgery is behind us, it probably all started with the hip.”

The Boston Red Sox announced Sunday that starting pitcher Chris Sale was sent to Massachusetts General Hospital because of a stomach virus Roger Maris Jersey , and he'll stay there overnight to be checked on.This comes a day after Sale pitched in Game 1 of the ALCS against the Houston Astros. Sale pitched four innings and struck out five batters and allowed just two earned runs. The Red Sox pulled Sale as his pitch got got higher.Sale had been placed on the DL earlier in the offseason due to shoulder inflammation, and observers noted the declining velocity in his pitches on Saturday. It's unknown what the stomach condition is and if it'll force sale to miss his scheduled Game 5 start.advertising#RedSox LHP Chris Sale reported a stomach illness today and was admitted to MGH for observation this afternoon. He will be kept overnight for evaluation and any further updates will be released when available.— Boston Red Sox (@RedSox) October 15, 2018Sale has appeared in three postseason games this year, tossing 14 strikeouts and allowing just four earned runs in 10.1 innings pitched. The Red Sox have tremendous depth in the rotation and bullpen, so if Sale has to miss a start, the likes of Eduardo Rodriguez, David Price and Rick Porcello can fill the void. Relievers Steven Wright and Joe Kelly also has starting pitching experience. Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY SportsThe Red Sox and Astros split the first two games at Fenway Park, and the series goes back to Houston for the next three contests. Game 5 - Sale's next scheduled start - takes place Thursday at 8:09 p.m. EST.advertisingSale went 12-4 during the regular season with 237 strikeouts in 158 innings pitched http://www.yankeesfanproshop.com/authentic-giancarlo-stanton-jersey , while sporting an impressive ERA of 2.11. Had Sale not missed a handful of starts with the aforementioned shoulder inflammation, he would have had a better chance at winning the AL Cy Young Award.Though the Red Sox won Sunday, the immediate concern is Sale's long-term health. If they're to win their fourth World Championship of the 21st century, the team simply needs him to be healthy. A look at what’s happening around the majors today:AILINGThe Yankees will see how shortstop Didi Gregorius is feeling, a day after he bruised his left heel in a collision while beating out an infield hit. Gregorius was hurt when he tumbled over Toronto first baseman Kendrys Morales.Gregorius is batting .270 with 22 home runs and 74 RBIs, and has 48 extra-base hits this season.“It’s something that we’ll monitor over the next 24 hours, could potentially be a DL thing,” manager Aaron Boone said.CHECK HIMCubs pitcher Yu Darvish had another setback in his injury-interrupted year Brett Gardner Jersey , increasing speculation he might be done for the season. Darvish lasted just one inning in his rehab start with Class A South Bend on Sunday.Darvish has been sidelined by triceps and elbow injuries, and shook his right arm as he left the field. The 32-year-old is 1-3 with a 4.95 ERA for Chicago and has made just eight starts since signing a $126 million, six-year contract.VICTORY LANEIndians ace Corey Kluber and Boston right-hander Rick Porcello start when Cleveland visits Fenway Park to begin a four-game matchup between AL division leaders. If either Kluber (15-6, 2.68 ERA) or Porcello (15-5, 4.04) get the victory, they would tie Washington’s Max Scherzer and the Yankees’ Luis Severino for the major league wins lead.REMEMBER ME?Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton plays at Marlins Park for the first time since Miami traded the 2017 NL MVP in December. Stanton played his first eight seasons with the Marlins, and led the majors with 59 home runs last year. Stanton has hit 32 this year for New York, giving him a career total of 299.“It’s going to be weird for sure walking in http://www.yankeesfanproshop.com/authentic-giancarlo-stanton-jersey , going to the visitors’ side,” Stanton said. “But I am looking forward to it. It’s a big part of my life, my time down there. It will be a cool experience.”FIT FOR A KINGFelix Hernandez returns to Seattle’s rotation, a week after the only relief appearance of his career. The longtime Mariners ace (8-11, 5.62 ERA) was recently bumped to the bullpen after a series of shaky starts. He threw 5 2/3 innings of relief last Tuesday after James Paxton was forced to leave when he was hit in the pitching arm by a line drive. Hernandez will start in Paxton’s place when the M’s host Gerrit Cole (11-5, 2.71) and the Astros.

TAMPA http://www.piratesfanproshop.com/authentic-josh-bell-jersey , Fla. (AP) — Gio Gonzalez is eager to reward the New York Yankees.The Yankees announced Wednesday they had signed the veteran left-hander to a minor league contract, hoping the two-time All-Star can help a hobbled rotation.“They gave me something I couldn’t turn down,” Gonzalez said. “This is a pretty great opportunity. It’s impressive to be in this locker room. It really does give you a ‘wow’ factor when you walk in.”Gonzalez said the Yankees’ offer earlier this week was the lone serious one he received.“It’s pretty much the only organization that saw something in me,” Gonzalez said. “It’s something to use as fuel. I think these guys have a really good shot this year to do something wonderful. I really want to be a part of a something like that.”If added to the 40-man roster, he would get a $3 million salary while in the major leagues and the chance to $9 million in performance bonuses: $300,000 for each start through 30.The 33-year-old Gonzalez will have a bullpen session Thursday and could pitch in a game Saturday. He had an 88-pitch simulated game Monday.“I told them, whenever they need me, however they need me, I’m ready to go,” Gonzalez said.Yankees ace Luis Severino is sidelined by right shoulder inflammation and will not be available until May at the earliest. In addition, CC Sabathia is likely to miss the first week or two as he recovers from an offseason that included knee surgery and the insertion of a stent after a blockage was found in an artery from his heart. Sabathia also must serve a five-game suspension for hitting Tampa Bay’s Jesus Sucre with a pitch in his last regular season start of 2018.Severino resumed playing catch Wednesday Brad Hand Jersey , making 25 throws at 60 feet.“Feels pretty normal,” Severino said. “I just feel a little bit off because I’ve been out for two weeks.”Sabathia will have his first minor league start Thursday.Masahiro Tanaka heads a rotation that includes James Paxton and J.A. Happ. Jonathan Loaisiga, Luis Cessa and Domingo German are competing for two open rotation spots.Gonzalez can opt out of his deal if he’s not added to the major league roster by April 20.Gonzalez is 127-97 with a 3.69 ERA in 11 major league seasons and just finished the second option season of a contract that wound up being worth $65.5 million over seven years.“I think he’s a great pitcher,” Severino said. “I think he’s a great guy. I see him like CC, a veteran guy that can pitch and knows the league and has been around a long time. I think it’s going to be a good thing for us.”Gonzalez was 10-11 with a 4.21 ERA last season for Washington and Milwaukee, which acquired him on Aug. 31. He was 3-0 in five starts for the Brewers down the stretch. Two of Vegas' biggest sports bettors made the rounds this week.Duffel Bag Boy won big on Army's cover against San Jose State and is up nearly $1 million over the past two weekends.James "Mattress Mack" McIngvale also placed a huge wage on his beloved Houston Astros to win the World Series.LAS VEGAS — Two of Las Vegas’ most infamous big bettors were making the rounds this week. Duffel Bag Boy, an anonymous big-time football bettor, and James “Mattress Mack” McIngvale (pictured above), a Houston-based millionaire, were both seen placing big bets up and down the Strip the past few days.Duffel Bag Boy — who is reportedly from the East Coast — cleared more than $750,000 two weekends ago and has spent this football season placing huge bets up and down the Strip.This past weekend started out well for the anonymous punter. Duffel Bag Boy had a huge hit on Army’s cover against San Jose State. That game netted him $260 http://www.padresfanproshop.com/authentic-brad-hand-jersey ,000 at William Hill, the Westgate SuperBook and South Point.Things took a downward turn for the deep-pocketed player on Sunday, however, as Duffel Bag Boy placed $100,000 on the Bears -4 (Chicago got to as high as -7 on Sunday) and also parlayed Chicago with the Rams.Oddsmakers Struggling to Adjust Over/Unders for Historic NFL ScoringRead nowOne of Duffel Bag Boy’s favorite bets is fading Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights have only covered the spread once this season (against Indiana in Week 5) so most of the oddsmakers at his favorite shops were expecting him to pound Maryland against Rutgers last Saturday. Strangely, he didn’t and the Terrapins covered.“He’s bet against Rutgers steadily over the past two years and cleaned up,” South Point sportsbook supervisor Tim Fitzgerald said. “I am truly mystified as to why he didn’t play them last week. With as much as he’s up I’d expect he’ll blindly bet against them this weekend against Northwestern.”According to my sources, Duffel Bag Boy is up nearly $1 million over the past two weekends, so expect him to come out firing this weekend.According to John Murray, director of the Westgate Superbook, Duffel Bag Boy isn’t the type to sweat out a game in the sportsbook over a few cocktails.“He’s all business Tyson Ross Jersey ,” Murray said. “If he asks for me it’s simply to inquire what types of limits may be available on a certain game he’s interested in. He’s not the type of guy who lingers around the sportsbook looking to get a free drink. He’s in and he’s out.”Most big bettors around town try to keep a tight lid on their wagers, and while Duffel Bag Boy doesn’t mind the numbers getting out, he obviously values his anonymity.The opposite is true of another large figure in Sin City — McIngvale.“Mattress Mack” made a name for himself by winning聽more than $1 million betting on his beloved Houston Astros to win both the World Series and individual playoff games last season.With the Astros in the American League Championship Series right now, McIngvale is back in Vegas. He stopped by the South Point to bet $150,000 on the Astros to win the World Series at 7-2. It has not been confirmed whether or not he’s betting individual games this October as he’s a more private gambler than Duffel Bag Boy.Still, we got the scoop from Fitzgerald on how McIngvale’s trip to the South Point went down.“So we get this call from the main cashier’s cage. One of the supervisors over there asks us who’s working tonight,” Fitzgerald started. “I tell them I’m here and they say they’re sending someone over. Right away I know something unusual is about to go down. I’m certainly expecting a big bettor to come over and I can list in my head most of the guys who that might be, so I’m kind of expecting to see one of them. You can see Mack coming a mile away since he’s all decked out in his Astros garb.“He’s certainly not inconspicuous. Plus I recognize him since I dealt with him last year. He asks me how much he can bet on the Astros to win the World Series. I ask him ‘How much do you want?’ He tells me $150,000. So I have him wait a moment as I call either sportsbook manager Chris Andrews or senior oddsmaker Jimmy Vaccaro and get their OK. I get the thumbs up and he heads over to the main cage to get the money.”Most of the time with big players — except for Duffel Bag Boy, of course — chips are used to make big wagers so you don’t have to waste the bettor’s time counting the cash.And even though we all have images of how these types of transactions go down, the truth is that this isn’t the movies.“After that we adjusted the line accordingly and that’s about it Allen Craig Jersey ,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s really not flashy or all that big of a deal here. The bet isn’t made in a back room, there’s no special ticket printed, we do it through our tellers like any $50 or even $5 bettor would. In that sense they’re treated like any other bettor. And, honestly, most big players prefer that since it makes them more anonymous. Overall, the process really only takes about 10-15 minutes if you know what you’re doing.”From a liability standpoint, Fitzgerald didn’t express too much concern how exposed South Point is on this particular bet.“We’re getting plenty of Red Sox action that will balance out our numbers,” he said. “If the Astros were to still advance we’re fairly certain there will plenty of Dodgers or Brewers money to leave us with minimal exposure.”

It would be unfair to compare just about any team to the 2013 Seattle Seahawks other than other championship teams. The 2013 Seahawks are in the conversation for a top-five defense all-time and unlike many all-time defenses http://www.seahawksauthorizedshops.com/authentic-michael-dickson-jersey , they also had a quarterback who is on a Hall of Fame path through his first seven seasons, a Hall of Fame caliber running back, and a receiver who could definitely be in the Hall of Slot Receivers and if he plays another 7-8 years at a high level ... who knows.Seattle’s 2018 team however had pretty much the quarterback, a hobbled version of that receiver, and the middle linebacker. They had some other nice pieces around them, an advantage here or there to the 2013 Seahawks, but if you actually compare them roster-to-roster you start to wonder just how in the hell this team went 10-6 and made the playoffs.Well, it’s because the 2018 Seahawks were a “playoff team” but as you’ll see in comparing position groups, they are nowhere near a “championship team.” In fact, if you think Seattle was close to resembling the 2012 Seahawks and are one year away from being like they were in 2013, I’d argue that after doing this comparison, they’re more like the 2011 version. Until they find out if Tre Flowers can develop like Richard Sherman, if they’ll have anyone close to the caliber of Earl Thomas, if Jacob Martin is on the rise, if they can add not one, but two really good edge rushers, another defensive tackle, if Shaquill Griffin can at least settle into being a Byron Maxwell type, then Seattle may be two years away from competing for first in the division rather than one. Much like 2012, the Seahawks had to get around a championship-caliber division-mate, and the LA Rams don’t seem likely to slow down that quickly.Now enough of the depressing stuff and onto the more depressing stuff.I’m comparing relevant players at each position. My judgment is just that: my judgment. It is not a fact, just an opinion, and in some cases it’s one that I could change with a good enough argument against it. When I went through each position, I came away with a score of 10 to 2 in advantage of the 2013 Seahawks and fittingly, I think you could make a case for 12-0. Even if you had it at 8-4 Bradley McDougald Jersey , most of those eight wins were blowouts.The Seahawks have gone through a lot of changes in the wrong direction over the last five years and yes, I’m one of the optimistic and bright-side Seattle writers! QB - Russell Wilson vs Russell WilsonAdvantage - 2018You could call it a wash if you want to. I think Wilson has certainly improved over the last five years and is a more “complete” quarterback with all the experience that comes with starting the number of games he has in that period of time. Consider that he’s also doing more with a lot less. If you factored in salary then you could make a stronger argument for 2012-2015 Wilson, but I’m not doing that here.RB - Marshawn Lynch vs Chris CarsonBackups - Robert Turbin, Christine Michael vs Mike Davis, Rashaad PennyFB - Derrick Coleman vs Tre MaddenAdvantage - 2013Carson actually averaged .5 more yards per carry this season than Lynch did during Seattle’s Super Bowl run, and he’s one of my favorite backs in the league, but there’s only one Marshawn Lynch. That’s kind of also the point: Carroll could more easily utilize a single-back system with Lynch, who played more downs, didn’t miss any games, scored more touchdowns, and had more receiving yards. Even including backup contributions, the better backfield seemed to belong to 2013.WR - Doug Baldwin, Golden Tate, Jermaine Kearse, Sidney Rice, Ricardo Lockette (Percy Harvin) vs Doug Baldwin, Tyler Lockett, David Moore, Jaron Brown, Brandon MarshallAdvantage - 20132018 Lockett might be the best receiver in the whole bunch, but this season also included a hobbled Baldwin and pretty poor depth that showed itself when they were called upon to do more because of Doug’s health. A healthy Baldwin and Tate were a more complete and consistent 1-2, while Kearse came up huge in the playoffs.TE - Zach Miller, Luke Willson, Kellen Davis vs Ed Dickson, Nick Vannett Authentic J.R. Sweezy Jersey , Will DisslyAdvantage - 2013Miller didn’t quite live up to the expectations of his free agent contract in 2011 but he alone was probably far more effective than Dickson and Vannett combined. Would have liked to have seen more of Dissly, but unfortunately for everyone that did not happen. The tight ends in 2018 were perhaps one of the most underrated weaknesses of the team.OL - Russell Okung, James Carpenter, Max Unger, JR Sweezy, Breno Giacomini vs Duane Brown, JR Sweezy, Justin Britt, DJ Fluker, Germain IfediBackups - Paul McQuistan, Alvin Bailey, Lemuel Jeanpierre, Michael Bowie vs Joey Hunt, Jordan Simmons, Ethan Pocic, George FantAdvantage - 2013 I have it as 2013, but I don’t know, Okung did miss half of the season. Both lines had their strengths at left tackle and center, but I’d think Unger is typically considered the superior player to Britt. I don’t think any of the other starters are particular “strengths” but at best it might be a wash.DT - Brandon Mebane, Tony McDaniel, Clinton McDonald vs Jarran Reed, Shamar Stephen, Poona Ford, Nazair JonesAdvantage - 2013Similar to Lockett and the receiver, Reed might be the best of the group but the depth in 2013 was so fantastically better. We all like Ford Youth Sebastian Janikowski Jersey , but he wasn’t even utilized that heavily until late in the year.DE - Cliff Avril, Michael Bennett, Chris Clemons. Red Bryant, O’Brien Schofield vs Frank Clark, Quinton Jefferson, Dion Jordan, Branden Jackson, Rasheem GreenAdvantage - 2013Either this or cornerback or safety is the biggest slaughter of comps, which emphasizes just how next-level the 2013 Seattle defense was. They will go down with a few Hall of Famers, a handful of Pro Bowlers, and a bevy of talented starters, some of whom were relegated to backup duty on that 53. Clark was a top-ranked pass rusher in 2018, but Avril, Bennett, Clemons, and Bryant is just sledgehammer after sledgehammer for opposing tackles and running backs. LB - Bobby Wagner, KJ Wright, Bruce Irvin, Malcolm Smith, Mike Morgan vs Bobby Wagner, KJ Wright, Mychal Kendricks, Barkevious Mingo, Jacob Martin, Austin Calitro http://www.seahawksauthorizedshops.com/authentic-barkevious-mingo-jersey , Shaquem GriffinAdvantage - 2013A couple of the names might be the same and Wagner is as good as ever, but Wright missed too much time, Kendricks was in the same boat, and Mingo’s not even as good as Smith, let alone Irvin. It’s another big advantage for 2013.CB - Richard Sherman, Brandon Browner, Byron Maxwell, Walter Thurmond vs Shaquill Griffin, Tre Flowers, Justin Coleman, Akeem KingAdvantage - 2013The number one corner is a blowout in 2013’s favor, the number two corner still has an advantage for 2013 though I think we are all hoping Flowers develops like Sherman did. You could maybe argue an advantage in the slot for 2018 but I’m not sure it would be a strong argument and this is another landslide for 2013.S - Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor vs Bradley McDougald, Tedric Thompson, Delano HillBackups - Jeron Johnson, Chris Maragos vs Maurice Alexander, Shalom LuaniAdvantage - 2013Moving on...K -Steven Hauschka vs Sebastian JanikowskiAdvantage - 2013Hauschka made 33 of 35 attempts in 2013 whereas Janikowski was 22 of 27 and had three missed PATs.P - Jon Ryan vs Michael DicksonAdvantage - 2018Woo, 2018! Some may argue Ryan over Dickson and I really would not care too much. Dickson is a first team All-Pro though and his net average 5.5 yards longer than Ryan’s was in 2013. The team may have been worse this season but Dickson only had four more punts this season than Ryan did that year.Seahawks defense banged up as 2018 NFL season opener looms We are just two weeks away from the Seattle Seahawks beginning their 2018 NFL regular season campaign against the Denver Broncos. There is obviously still one preseason game left to be played on Thursday vs. the Oakland Raiders, but there’s no remotely good reason for the first-team players to have more than one series. On the injury front, I think it’s fair to say that the Seahawks (and many other teams, to be fair) have come away relatively unscathed in terms of devastating long-term injuries to key players in training camp or preseason action. However, Seattle does have quite a few presumptive starters on the mend and with their respective statuses uncertain for Week 1.By now you’ve read that linebacker K.J. Wright is having his knee scoped, and is out indefinitely. If he can’t make the season opener, then rookie Shaquem Griffin gets the unexpected start. You may remember last year that Shaquill Griffin wasn’t supposed to have that many snaps in the opener against the Green Bay Packers, but Jeremy Lane’s ejection meant that in his own rookie debut Authentic Quinton Jefferson Jersey , Shaquill effectively played as if he was the actual starter. This is obviously a different situation, and Shaquem figures to be a downgrade from KJ, as opposed to Shaquill proving to be a clear upgrade over Lane.At the free safety position, Tedric Thompson is day-to-day with a combination of a rib injury and a neck stinger on a collision he had against the Minnesota Vikings last Friday. Earl Thomas’ holdout obviously isn’t over, so with him and Thompson not practicing on Monday, that shifted Bradley McDougald to FS and Delano Hill and Maurice Alexander split time at SS. That is not an ideal combination at SS, so hopefully Thompson’s “day-to-day” is exactly that, as hurt ribs and a stinger can’t be taken lightly.Staying in the secondary, we’ve not seen Byron Maxwell play due to a hip flexor problem, and Carroll says “I can’t tell you” when he’ll practice again. Seattle has used Maxwell’s absence to take a look at rookie CB Tre Flowers, and then you have Dontae Johnson back in the mix following his broken foot. Maxwell was the CB2 last year as a midseason pick-up when Richard Sherman went down, and was favored to retain that role in 2018 on a one-year deal. Hell, there’s no guarantee he makes the team depending on how they view Flowers and Johnson.On the front line, DE Frank Clark had just returned from wrist surgery, but evidently hyperextended his elbow in the Vikings game. Carroll said this was just a case of resting him on Monday, so that appears to be a positive. As for Dion Jordan, he’s making a push for Week 1 despite dealing with a stress fracture in his leg, but Carroll has not ruled out just placing him on the PUP list, which would render him unavailable for the first half-dozen games. Jordan’s impressive 2017 despite limited action gave fans some hope that he’d be an important part of Seattle’s revamped pass rush in 2018.Assuming Clark is okay, if you take the worst case scenario, Seahawks at Broncos could potentially see Seattle’s defense without its second-best linebacker (Wright), #2 cornerback (Maxwell), a starting pass rusher (Jordan), and its backup safety-turned-starter if Earl Thomas isn’t back soon (Thompson).It looks as if the strength of Seattle’s defensive depth is going to have an early test come September.

Sean M. Haffey/Getty ImagesSteve Pearce was named the 2018 World Series MVP after helping the Boston Red Sox win the series in five games.The first baseman hit three homers over the course of the series Daniel Castro Jersey , including two in the deciding Game 5 on Sunday night.MLB Network MLBNetworkMVP? #WorldSeries 9wMr2ExxmZHe also totaled four RBI in Game 4 while transforming the game with a pair of big hits.Pearce failed to get a hit in either of the first two games and then barely appeared in the marathon 18-inning game, drawing a walk in his only plate appearance in the 11th.However, he was the star when it mattered in the last two games of the series, earning some great commentary from those watching:Russillo ryenarussilloI wouldn鈥檛 trade Pearce for Trout.Bill Barnwell billbarnwellSteve Pearce is actually going to go into the Hall of Fame with a LA hat on because he owns the DodgersSteve Melewski masnSteveSteve Pearce - Boston Red Sox hero. Thats just crazy. Final stop on his AL East tour. All time gamer and great guy. If you cant be happy for him, check your pulse.While the award is well-deserved, few would have expected it before the series started.Pearce came to the team in a midseason trade with the Toronto Blue Jays. He performed well in his 50 games with Boston, hitting seven home runs while producing a .901 OPS, which was more than 100 points higher than his career average (.783).He kept it going in the playoffs, batting .333 in four games against the New York Yankees and hitting a big home run in the ALCS against the Houston Astros. And he had three home runs and seven RBI in the last two games of the World Series.Considering this all came in Pearce's second-ever postseason appearance, this has been a great month for him. MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Colorado Rockies can finally relax on the flight home.Nolan Arenado hit a go-ahead homer with two outs in the 11th inning and the Colorado Rockies beat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-4 on Sunday thanks to an overturned replay review.Arenado’s 29th homer of the season came off Brewers closer Corey Knebel (2-2) and helped the Rockies avoid a sweep, giving them a sigh of relief after finishing an otherwise tough Midwest trip losers of five of seven.“These games, they’ve been extremely stressful,” Arenado said. “They’ve been tough on us. We needed to win that game.”With Colorado closer Wade Davis struggling ttp://www.rockiesfanproshop.com/authentic-tony-wolters-jersey , the Brewers rallied for three runs in the ninth off Adam Ottavino in a save situation. Given a second chance, newly acquired reliever Seunghwan Oh closed out the Brewers in the 11th.Scott Oberg (7-0) got the win, allowing a hit erased by a double play in the 10th.Nothing came easy, though.Oh allowed a hit to Travis Shaw to lead off the 11th. After getting Ryan Braun to fly out, Jonathan Schoop singled to put men on first and second.Erik Kratz then hit a grounder, and Schoop was forced out at second. Kratz was initially ruled safe at first, but it took 58 seconds to overturn the call on video review, ending the game on the double play.“Didn’t see it, I assume they got it right,” Kratz said. “We have to assume they got it right.”It was Oh’s first save since coming from Toronto in a July 26 trade.Davis, who blew consecutive save opportunities on Thursday and Friday, could only watch Ottavino do the same in a wild ninth inning.“He had some unfortunate happenings around him,” Rockies manager Bud Black said.Trailing 4-1 Kyle Freeland Jersey , Mike Moustakas led off with a homer for the Brewers. After an out, Braun reached base on a catcher’s interference call, and with two outs and two strikes, Ottavino threw a wild pitch that Kratz swung at.Kratz reached first on the swinging strikeout, and with new life, Orlando Arcia doubled to score Braun. With Kratz on third, Ottavino uncorked another wild pitch, allowing Kratz to score, tying it at 4-all and sending the game to extra innings.GRAY GREATThe blown save in the ninth erased a sterling performance by Rockies starter Jon Gray.He allowed one run over eight innings, scattering four hits and two walks while striking out eight, including the final three batters he faced. In his last four starts, Gray has dropped his ERA more than a full point to 4.73 by allowing just five runs over 29 2/3 innings.ARENADO’S SPINArenado saved a run in the sixth with some nifty glove work.With runners on the corners and two outs, the third baseman snagged Braun’s chopper moving backward in the hole to his left Chris Iannetta Jersey , then spun and fired a strike to Ian Desmond at first.“You don’t really think about it until you watch the replay,” Arenado said. “It’s hard to impress Bud because he’s been around a long time, but he even said it’s one of the greatest plays he’s ever seen from me.”STREAKING STORYTrevor Story homered for the third straight game with a three-run shot off Brewers starter Wade Miley in the fifth.Story now has four homers over his last three games, including two in Saturday night’s loss, and 24 on the season. In seven games against the Brewers this season, he’s hit seven homers to go along with 18 RBIs.NEW BREWThe Milwaukee Brewers claimed right-hander Jordan Lyles off waivers from the San Diego. The 27-year-old Lyles is 2-4 with a 4.29 ERA in 24 appearances, including eight starts, this season. Brewers general manager David Stearns expects to activate Lyles Tuesday or Wednesday.TRAINING ROOMRockies: Colorado placed RHP Antonio Senzatela (shoulder inflammation) on the 10-day disabled list. The club hopes that RHP Chad Bettis (blister) can come off the DL and take Senzatela’s turn in the rotation Tuesday. OF David Dahl was called up from Triple-A Albuquerque to take Senzatela’s spot on the roster.Brewers: OF Lorenzo Cain and 1B Jesus Aguilar each had scheduled days off, but appeared as pinch hitters.UP NEXTRockies: Colorado hopes left-hander Kyle Freeland (9-7, 3.20 ERA) finally finds success against Pittsburgh when the Rockies open a three-game set against the Pirates on Monday night. Freeland is 1-2 with a 6.32 ERA against Pittsburgh, including allowing five runs in an April 18 loss.Brewers: Milwaukee has a day off on Monday before starting a three-game series against San Diego.

Today should be a day of celebration. Two great Denver Broncos were voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. We are happy. And we are not. After almost four weeks of pushing Steve Atwater’s candidacy for the Hall of Fame Justin Simmons Jersey , the voters decided that he was, once again, not worthy. It’s disappointing. It hurts as a fan. It sucks because we all know that Atwater is a true Hall of Famer. We know this because we have heard from coaches, players, general managers, members of the Hall of Fame. Ed Reed said he would give Atwater his spot if he didn’t get in. Wade Phillips called him the best free safety he’s ever coached. Both show the respect Atwater has around the league.Let’s be clear: this does not define Atwater. His legacy in the NFL is felt by more than a few players and coaches who know the man he is deserving of a bust in Canton, Ohio. He will get in. That doesn’t make the hurt any less. This isn’t just a snub of a great player, but of a great man who has proven himself to be humble in greatness, gracious in defeat, and a champion at heart.This isn’t over for Atwater. His NFL journey continues. His recognition will have to wait for one more year Authentic Chris Harris Jr Jersey , but in the end, he will be delivering a Hall of Fame speech in Canton. All of Broncos Country knows it, as does the rest of the NFL.Next year might be different. So it is done. The Denver Broncos season and the Vance Joseph era are both now mercifully finished. The game-day inactives list for the season tells an interesting story for those willing to listen.Elijah Wilkinson began the season as a game-day inactive after spending most of 2017 on the practice squad. By mid-year, he was a full-time starter at guard for us. Brendan Langley started the year on the practice squad and then was signed to active roster in November. Despite all of our injuries at CB, he took exactly zero defensive snaps. DeMarcus Walker had almost as many games where he was inactive (13) as he had defensive snaps (21). We’ll discuss that more later. The game 16 inactives are notable in that we didn’t play Shane Ray, Su’a Cravens or Demarcus Walker, but the other guys who were inactive in the final game of the season were signed to what were ostensibly futures contracts. Offensive snap percentages for the second half of the seasonFull season offensive snap counts and percentages: By playing Sam Jones in the final two games of the season, it meant that the Broncos played every healthy drafted player that we selected in 2018 with the exception of David Williams (who was signed by the Jags off of our practice squad in October). We drafted 10 players and eight of them took offensive or defensive snaps for us in 2018. Four of them were active for all 16 games this season (Bradley Chubb, Josey Jewell, Courtland Sutton and Keishawn Bierria). That is a big departure from the days when John Fox was loathe to play rookies as our head coach. Part of this was from necessity due to injury Youth Emmanuel Sanders Jersey , but some has to be seen as improved talent evaluation in the draft. Hopefully we can have another extremely productive draft in 2019. As much as I maligned our coaching staff in 2018, I have to praise the offensive line coaches for the job that they did. We had a guard playing center (Connor McGovern) and two tackles playing guard (Wilkinson and Billy Turner) and we still had a functional offense (until the final three games of the season). Also note that the offensive line was able to keep our starting QB healthy and playing for all 16 regular season games - something that they were not able to do in the previous two seasons. 2015 doesn’t count because Peyton Manning’s foot injury was actually suffered during the 2014 season. Defensive snap percentages from the second half of the seasonJust like injuries were the story on the offensive side of the ball, they were also the story on the defensive side of the ball. In every position group we had significant contributors miss extended periods of time with injury and/or get placed on the IR. We also had a player see his skills evaporate in Darian Stewart. This caused Justin Simmons to try and pick up his slack leading to deterioration in his play relative to 2017. I will note that Simmons was the only player on the team to play every defensive (or offensive) snap this season. Key points to take away from our player utilization/development in 2018Brendan Langley is officially a bust. The Broncos were literally scraping the bottom of the barrel as far as CB talent was concerned and Langley got exactly zero defensive snaps this season. Langley has to be one of the worst reaches in franchise history rivaling our use of a 4th round pick on Maurice Clarrett. DeMarcus Walker is an enigma. I have no explanation for why he was kept as a game-day inactive for the final meaningless two games of the season or for why has got a grand total of 21 defensive snaps this season. We are now two full seasons into his NFL career and we have seen less defensive playing time from him than we saw from Zaire Anderson in 2017. Walker now has 121 career defensive snaps. Anderson got 135 in 2017. Keep in mind that Brendan Langley got 108 defensive snaps in 2017. I wish somebody in Dove Valley could explain their actions regarding Walker. We might have to accept the the possibility that he is a bust (although he played well in the preseason and he was effective in the very limited snaps he got this year). We apparently can develop offensive lineman - now. Max Garcia prior to his injury was playing at his highest level so far in the NFL. Connor McGovern looks like a legitimate starter at both guard and center. Elijah Wilkinson was not an embarrassment at guard despite not playing there since high school. Billy Turner looked serviceable at guard. Even the much-maligned Garett Bolles improved this season relative to his rookie year (despite the high number of holding penalties). We have some good young talent on this team that might make it easier to move on from some of the veterans who are either free agents in 2019 (e.g. Matt Paradis, Max Garcia, Jared Veldheer and Domata Peko) or who have big cap hits (Brandon Marshall, Derek Wolfe, Emmanuel Sanders, Ronald Leary and Darian Stewart). I would not be the least bit surprised if none of those players listed above were on the team in 2019 - I would be unhappy about a few of them, but not surprised. Definitely let me know your thoughts on how we used and/or misused our talent this season?

As a rookie in 2017 http://www.seattleseahawksteamonline.com/shaquill-griffin-jersey , Shaquill Griffin was all but anointed the successor to Richard Sherman as the Seattle Seahawks’ shutdown corner. Griffin, a third round pick, started 11 games as a rookie in a promising first season. Griffin’s crowning as Seattle’s next great cornerback was completed following Sherman’s release, with Griffin’s switch to Sherman’s vacated left cornerback position. However, 2018 didn’t bring about an All-Pro selection for Griffin, unlike Sherman’s sophomore season. Though Griffin’s sophomore slump was greatly exaggerated, he didn’t exactly step into Sherman’s role as an elite cornerback, either. After allowing 3.2 receptions per game as a rookie, Griffin allowed 3.4 per game in 2018. His yards per reception allowed also failed to improve, increasing from 13.1 as a rookie to 14.2 as a sophomore. Worse still was Griffin’s on-ball production, as his passes defended dropped from 16 to seven (though he did increase his interception total from one to two). The way in which Griffin’s season ended, making several high profile mistakes in the Seahawks’ loss to the Cowboys, only served to increase the criticism surrounding him. However, his performance was not nearly as bad as some would make it seem. Griffin, playing on a bad ankle—against the type of wide receiver in Amari Cooper who matches up well against Griffin at full health—allowed six catches for 52 yards on 11 targets. The touchdown he allowed was a perfect throw and catch Womens Jarran Reed Jersey , with Griffin providing solid coverage. Griffin was hardly perfect on Saturday night, but you would be hard pressed to find a Seattle defender who was. Hell, Bobby Wagner, who tackles everything, missed Dak Prescott on what was essentially the game-sealing run. There could be a number of reasons as to why Griffin failed to live up to the (lofty) expectations of him in 2018. The most obvious one would be that he took on an entirely new role, as the defense’s number one cornerback, and all the responsibilities and challenges that come with that spot. And there’s certainly some truth in that. But a bigger reason may be what comes with stepping into the number one cornerback spot in Seattle’s defense—for Griffin, it meant switching sides. Upon entering the NFL, Griffin had to learn Pete Carroll’s rare technique for cornerbacks, a tall task in itself, and one that much more experienced corners have failed to do. (See Williams, Cary.) Instead, Griffin acquitted himself well—as well as any rookie has done since Sherman. Then, in year two, Griffin had to continue to try and master this technique http://www.seattleseahawksteamonline.com/quinton-jefferson-jersey , while switching sides. The mechanics of the position, which he spent an entire year learning and adjusting to, were flipped completely. Geoff Schwartz, a former NFL lineman and now a writer for SB Nation, told Pro Football Focus about the difficulties of switching sides on the offensive line in 2012: Though I’ve never played cornerback, nor been a member of any type of Legion of Boom, I would imagine the same goes for defensive back. Athleticism, physicality, footwork, hand placement and mentality: All incredibly important traits for a cornerback to have, and all thrown into flux for Griffin over the course of his first two seasons. Despite all of that, he’s largely been a good cornerback, a position that in itself is difficult as a young player.Tre Flowers gives the Seahawks another ultra exciting prospect at cornerback, as Carroll ushers in a new era in the defensive backfield. However, Griffin should not be forgotten about http://www.seattleseahawksteamonline.com/michael-dickson-jersey , or written off, as he enters his third year—and really, just his second, as he continues to take on the role of Seattle’s left cornerback.Chris Carson did what the Seahawks needed, but did not win them the game Chris Carson carried the ball 32 times in the Seattle Seahawks’ 24-13 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, the most carries by a Seattle running back since Marshawn Lynch had 32 in a 22-17 win over the Baltimore Ravens. That was a memorable win for the Seahawks, and the last time that I remember so many people talking about the “importance” of a solid ground game that has a single player who can tote the ball that many times.Also, the Seahawks were bad in 2011. Remember that? They were good in the years 2012-2016 and at no point did they need Lynch to carry it 30 times. Thomas Rawls carried it 30 times in a 2015 win over the San Francisco 49ers, but he also gained 209 yards that day so why take it away from him?On Sunday, Carson didn’t even gain half of that. No, the more effective running back in Seattle this week was actually Ezekiel Elliott and his team just lost by 11 points.Carson had 102 yards on his 32 carries for an average of 3.18 YPC. Overall, the Seahawks gained just 113 yards on 39 total carries. That’s really bad from an efficiency standpoint, but the fact remains that if you’re winning the game, you’re more likely to be running the football. Despite an ugly YPC, teams usually win when they finish a game with that many carries.They don’t necessarily win because they had 35 carries Authentic Bradley McDougald Jersey , they had 35 carries because they were winning. Since 2015, there have been 77 instances of a team carrying it at least 35 times but gaining less than 150 yards and those teams are 72-4-1. (The one tie was the Arizona Cardinals in their 6-6 game vs the Seahawks.) Drop that to 35 carries and less than 120 yards, and you’ll see that since 2015, teams are 25-1, including Seattle after today.It didn’t matter that they didn’t run the ball well, it only mattered that they were winning and they had the luxury to keep running the ball in the fourth quarter. What mattered for the Seahawks instead was that they held Dak Prescott to 3.5 yards per pass attempt. They forced three turnovers, including two interceptions, and didn’t turn the ball over once. Carson was effective in a way, but even Duane Brown said after the game that they “left yards on the field” because the running game wasn’t doing enough.And we all saw that because when you rush for less than 3 YPC as a team, you’re not setting the world aflame with your ground attack. I mean, it was Elliott who had all the big runs ...The Cowboys rushed for 8.7 YPC today and they lost and it wasn’t even close. Elliott carried it 16 times for 127 yards, meaning Seattle again had a pretty poor run defense (saved in part by Bradley McDougald’s forced fumble on Elliott), but overall the defense did the thing it needed to do: shutdown and attack Prescott. That worked and again it was proven that the running game doesn’t really matter that much; at least not when you’re talking about the success and volume of the rushing game itself. If you want to make an argument that a running game does something else to effect other parts of the game, that’s a different story altogether, but if you’re looking at the actual effectiveness of the ground game on the box score Womens Kam Chancellor Jersey , then Sunday’s box score for the Seahawks and Cowboys clearly makes the rushing game look meaningless once again.And if a quality rushing attack helps teams do other things, then why did Elliott’s 7.9 YPC do nothing to help Dak Prescott complete a pass downfield like Dallas actually needed?No, the Seahawks won because Russell Wilson completed some really difficult throws in coverage. Because the defense shutdown Prescott, forced three turnovers, and sacked him five times. Carson helped run the clock down after they had already sealed the win, and that’s how he did his part. Kind of. Carson carried it nine times on the final three drives and gained 21 yards, with 11 of those coming on a single play. It was because Seattle had consecutive three-and-outs that the Cowboys even had a chance to get back into the game at all. He’s a closer who was given a 5-run lead and allowed 3 runs. It did the job, but it certainly wasn’t the best job you could have asked for.I love the way Chris Carson plays. I think he’s the best running back for the Seahawks and he has the potential to be one of the five best running backs in the NFL. I just think that only takes you so far and the real key to football in 2018 is how you pass the ball.You can focus on the running back who won the game and say “That’s why they won the game” but then you’re just ignoring three other key components: Russell Wilson was good, Dak Prescott was bad, and Ezekiel Elliott was good.The good QB won, the bad QB lost.The good RB lost, the far less efficient RB won.